Ah, falafel. One of my favorite fried treats. I wanted to create a healthier patty, so these are baked instead of fried. The panko breadcrumbs are the key- they give them crunch, like they just came out of a fryer.

Falafel with TT Sauce

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
¼ onion, quartered
1 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons olive oil
3-4 tbsp. panko bread crumbs

In a food processor or blender, combine the garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, 2 tbsp. cilantro and 2 tbsp. parsley. Combine until a chunky batter forms.

Remove the bean mixture and in a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the herbs, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix well with a fork until combined. Add the panko bread crumbs and lightly toss together, being careful to keep the bread crumbs crisp. Form into small 3-inch patties. Place on a baking sheet, lightly coated with oil. In a 375 degree oven, bake for 10-15 minutes per side until lightly brown and crisp.
Serve with pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and TT sauce.

TT Sauce (Tzatziki meets Tahini Sauce)

1 package silken tofu
1-3 cloves garlic, depending on your taste
2 tbsp. tahini
¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 medium/large lemon)
2 tsp. dill
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
salt/pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne
3 tbsp. parsley, chopped fine
¾ cup finely chopped cucumber, peeled or not

In a blender combine tofu, lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and dill. Pour the blender mixture into a bowl and add cucumber and parsley.

Hello October!

Everyone has their own version of what chili should be. I added sweet potato to my usual chili recipe and I was glad I did! Yum. It was so perfect; sweet and filling. With a loaf of wheat bread, this was the perfect night-before dinner for B’s half marathon. No wonder he did so well! Feel free to adjust the heat, it’s pretty tame. Enjoy.

DK’s Vegetable Chili

Ingredients:
1 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 large can or box diced tomatoes, drained
1 carton vegetable broth or homemade broth
1 sweet potato, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
3 stalks celery, minced
4 carrots, diced
1 onion, minced
2 clove garlic, minced
2 cups bulgur wheat, cooked
1/2 cup textured vegetable protein, re hydrated, optional (you could also use tempeh if you wanted)
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt

Sweat the onion, garlic, and salt with a dash of oil or broth in a heavy-bottom sauce pan. Add the cayenne pepper, oregano, chili pepper, and cumin. Stir to combine. Add the celery, carrots, zucchini, and sweet potato. Combine with seasonings and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the bay leaf and vegetable broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring to the bottom so the seasonings don’t stick to the bottom. Turn the heat to medium/medium high and cook 10 minutes until sweet potatoes are just fork-tender. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the tomatoes, beans, bulgur, and tvp. Cover and allow to cook for 30-40 minutes.

Serve hot with your favorite corn bread or baked bread! Fall is here!

Most people I know have a handful of dishes that are constantly in dinner rotation. The minute the weather gets crisper, I crave this simple pasta and bean dish. It’s filling, comforting, and delicious. Don’t be misled by the few ingredients,  it’s a winner.  Ditalini pasta is pretty easy to find now, you might find it labeled as pasta salad noodles. Try to find it if you can, I can’t imagine this dish with any other type. Again,  sorry that the picture isn’t very clear, my blackberry  isn’t high-resolution! I’m still debating what camera to get. Any suggestions?

Pasta Fagoli

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
Olive oil to cover bottom of pan
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp. crushed hot pepper (or more for extra kick)
2 large cans regular,plain tomato sauce
1 bunch parsley, chopped
4 cans northern beans (Cannellini), rinsed or 1 lb. beans, soaked
1 lb. Ditalini pasta

In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion , garlic and red pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato sauce, parsley and beans.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb. ditilini pasta in salted water. Once the pasta has become al dente, drain but reserve 2-3 cups pasta water.  When ready to serve, add pasta to tomato and bean sauce and thin with pasta water. You will probably not use all 2 cups. Add 1/2 cup at a time, stir, and add more if need be. It should thin the tomato sauce out so it is thin like a soup broth. 

 This taste even better the next day. If you have leftovers, add a little more pasta water before refrigerating.

Ever since I moved to California a few years ago, I have fallen in love with Mexican food. I wanted to make a romantic  meal for date night and these enchiladas, margaritas, and key lime pie were the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. It is also very budget friendly if you use dried beans. Although this recipe has lots of steps and is perfect for a weekend meal, it would turn out just as delicious using shortcuts such as prepared sauce and canned beans.

The other great thing about this recipe is that you can fill your enchiladas with whatever ingredients you have around the house. I used quinoa but brown rice and any vegetables would be a great substitution.

Enchiladas a la DK

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